Review an article research about using an application as

the English Teaching Media

In this paper I want to make a review about an article using application to learning
English to student. The title of the article is “Using WhatsApp to Enhance Students Learning
of English Language ‘Experience to share’”. This article published by Canadian Center of
Science and Education on November 10, 2017 and the author is Mona M. Hamad from
Department of English, College of Science & Arts for Girls, Muhayil, King Khalid University,
Saudi Arabia.

Technology has developed the world and it changes our life’s and our way. This is
including Education. Everyone has smartphone nowadays and using the application such as
Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Line, Google, etc. We using that Application to search an
information, to make a social relationship or to having fun. In this article the author wants to
know the impact using one of the application that is “WhatsApp” to Learning English to the
students. The author make a research in College of Science & Arts Majarda King Khalid
University, English Department. The population of the study were 36 female students from 1st
level who were studying Listening & Speaking 1 course in the 1st semester 2013-2014. The
researcher has used the analytical descriptive method to conduct this study in King Khalid
University. A students’ questionnaire and instructor observation were the tools for collecting the
data, results were coded manually and analyzed using SPSS. Almost all study-findings supported
using WhatsApp to enhance students learning and enthusiasm, using WhatsApp helped students
to develop English skills, enriched their vocabulary and learn from their mates mistakes,
although the study laid out some disadvantages of the experience such as preparing the materials
and having discipline in the group.

INTRODUCTION
If we compare education system in the past five decades, when we were students, and the
education system now, we will find a huge gap, between what teachers used in the past
considering educational aids, teaching methods, motivation strategies, etc., and what we are
using now to teach our students. Everything is developed, however, students’ attention and
motivation to learning is backward compared to the past.
During my teaching experience, I used different methods of motivation, but still all were
not satisfying. As I noticed students’ attention towards using cell-phones, I decided to turn what
has affected my teaching negatively to the opposite side of the coin. As Renata Phelps, Anne
Graham said in their book “conventional wisdom suggests that being in an environment where
others are using technology is generally positive for foster learning”. All agreed that the
generation of these days, has become addicted to these applications, for social relationship and
fun.
The researcher decided to use WhatsApp as it is the most common App used between the
students it doesn’t need to have a computer it is attainable and does not cost much. He thought of
using WhatsApp to facilitate and create an avenue for learning and communication as well, as it
is the most common App to the students, and they always have their mobile phones and smart
phones in their hands, beside it is cheap to activate the App. After getting the students’ approval
to use WhatsApp for learning when they are out the class, He created two groups which the
students named, “Nothing Impossible” He started opening discussions for the groups, uploading
videos, audios, and chart.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Oxford (1991) revealed that communicative competence can be developed through
realistic interaction using meaningful and contextualized language, however, time inside the
lesson is not enough to practice the four skills, so using WhatsApp can be a solution to this
problem.
Hani (2014) in his study: The Impact of WhatsApp Group’s Utilaizition of EFL Students’
Vocabulary Writing Amelioration showed that the findings imply a significant difference
between the overall writing scores of the pretest and posttest of the participants who used
journaling. Additionally, test of individual item scores shows that there are statistically
significant developments in vocabulary choice and voice as two pivotal writing characteristics.
The study can promote a favorable educational change by assisting teachers grasp the possible
merits of WhatsApp electronic dialogue journaling to develop the vocabulary word choice and
voice writing skills of their students.
Maria (2016) in her study: Use of Whatsapp to Enhance Reading and Writing Skills at
Undergraduate College Level showed that using WhatsApp helps to motivate the learners to
improve their writing skills though it is considered the most difficult of the four language skills,
and learners respond better when technology, especially the internet, is involved in their
language learning. The internet which is available on the mobile phones of almost all the
students is a highly motivating tool for L2 learning.

METHODOLOGY
First the researcher collecting the data used the analytical descriptive method to organize
the study. The data is :
 - Population :
36 female students in the 1st level who were studying Listening & Speaking 1

- Instrument of the study :

Collect the data of this study was Students’ questionnaire beside the observation to
the students’ performance and interaction.

- Reliability and Validity for Student Questionnaire :

To find the validity of the students’ questionnaire, the following formula was applied
after finding reliability results using Cronbach’s Alpha : Validity =√ Reliable =.95
which is a high degree that reflects that students questionnaire-validity which
indicates that the questionnaire is suitable to be used for the study.

STATISTICS AND RESULTS

The students were given a questionnaire to get their opinion about the experience of using
WhatsApp as a supplementary method, the questionnaire consists of twelve questions. I will list
the questioner and the results here :
1. Using WhatsApp helped me to develop my Listening skill
The results :
18 students out of 36 agree that using WhatsApp helped them to develop their
listening while 6 students disagree to the statement. Students answer depended on the
experience which was done through listening to uploaded videos, audio tracks and
recording speech of their mates and instructor.

2. Using WhatsApp helped me to develop my Speaking skill

The result :
21 students agree that WhatsApp develop their speaking skill and 11 students disagree
while 4 said they had no idea, those who agree achieved that by sending recording
speech to the group.

3. Using WhatsApp helped me to develop my Reading skill

The result :
All students agreed that WhatsApp helped them to develop their reading skill, this
happen by reading their mates comment and responses.

4. Using WhatsApp helped me to develop my Writing skill

The result :
The majority of the students agreed that WhatsApp helped them to develop their
writing skill, this happen by writing their comment and responses to their mates.

5. Using WhatsApp helped me to enrich my Vocabulary

The result :
 Most of the students agreed that WhatsApp helped them to enrich their vocabulary by
reading their mates comments and responses, and using the vocabulary to convey
their messages.

6. Using WhatsApp helped me to learn from my colleague mistakes

The result :
The majority of the students agreed that WhatsApp helped them to learn from their
colleagues mistakes, and this happen when the instructor correct students posts.

7. Using WhatsApp helped me to think in English

The Result :
Almost all of the students agreed that WhatsApp helped them to think in English.

8. Using WhatsApp helped me to overcome me fear to use English Language

The results :
Most of the students agreed that WhatsApp helped them to overcome their fear as
they are not in direct contact with their mates and instructor.

9. Using WhatsApp helped me to get immediate feedback from my instructor

The result :
The majority of the students agreed that WhatsApp helped them get immediate
feedback from their instructor.

10. It is easy to download WhatsApp in my cell-phone

The result :
The majority of the students agreed that downloading the App of WhatsApp is easy
and free.

11. It is easier to contactmy instructor through WhatsApp than other applications

The result :
27 students agreed that it is easier to contact their instructor through WhatsApp than
other applications.

12. Using WhatsApp motivate me to Learn English

The result :
18 students agreed that Using WhatsApp motivate them to learn English, 17 students
disagree to the statement.
The results of the students questionnaire were coded and analyzed using SPSS and t-test
through t-distribution to find the significance of the results.
 After doing the statistical procedure the results of the students questionnaire were:

1. WhatsApp helped students to develop their listening skills, this agree with Oxford and
Ghada Awada finding as students learn from audios and videos that are sent in the group add
to that, what mates and instructor record and send.
2. WhatsApp helped students to develop their speaking skills, same results were found by
Ghada Awada and Oxford and Andújar-Vaca, Alberto and Cruz-Martínez, Maria-Soledad.
3. WhatsApp helped students to develop their reading skills, this result agreed with what Ghada
Awada and Oxford raveled, beside the agreement to Maria Justina results.
4. WhatsApp helped students to develop their writing skills agreed with Ghada Awada and
Maria Justina findings.
5. WhatsApp helped students to enrich their vocabulary agreed with studies of 1- Hani, Nedal
A Bani and 2- Abraham Gert van der Vyver, and his colleagues 3-Man, C. 4-Nedal A. Bani
Hani5-BasmaIssa Ahmad Alsaleem findings.
6. WhatsApp helped students to learn from their colleague mistakes, this approved by Abraham
Gert van der Vyver, and his colleagues in their study.
7. WhatsApp helped students to think in English as this was discussed in Abraham Gert van
der Vyver, and his colleagues study.
8. WhatsApp didn’t help students to overcome their fear to use English language although this
approved in Aicha Blehch Amry finding, but agreed with Ibtehal Mahmoud Aburezeq and
Fawzi Fayez Ishtaiwa findings.
9. WhatsApp helped students to get immediate feedback from their instructor which is one of
Tze Ying Sim and his colleagues study results.
10. WhatsApp is easy to download in students’ cell-phone.

11. WhatsApp helped students to have easier contact their instructor than other application.

12. WhatsApp is not approved that it motivates students to learn English, and doesn’t agree with
Maria Justina and Aicha Blehch Amry study although the majority of students’ answers are
with the statement.

All results above also disagree with Ibtehal Mahmoud Aburezeq and Fawzi Fayez
Ishtaiwa study
although some of the finding observed during the experience.

CONCLUSION
Since Technology is in a continuous rapid development and with every sun rise there is a
new App, and as youth are using them, we have to keep ourselves updated with these App, that
may at least help us succeed to catch students attention towards learning, and if we use Apps that
is their preference, obviously we will reach our goals and that will reinforce the regular academic
process and help us and them.

As a conclusion of the observation the research gives the following advantages and
disadvantages.
Advantages of Using WhatsApp (Experience to Share)
1. WhatsApp was alternative to virtual classes that helps absent students to catch up.
2. Whats app answers students questions, and helps to increase students feeling of security
since they always have their instructor around.
3. It helps to facilitate students discussion, and helps students overcome their fear of using
the language.
4. It helps the students to develop their writing.
5. It enables the students to learn from their colleagues mistakes.
6. It helps the students to believe in their abilities and to have confidence.
7. It develops writing skill and increase students’ motivation towards learning.

Disadvantages of Using WhatsApp (Experience to Share)

1. Preparing material needs time and experience about software that support the Apps.
2. Students are not fixed to the agreed time, and they send messages in any time even if it is
late night.
3. Some students don’t participate in discussion.
4. Students’ attention can’t be assured, that not all students learn from the materials.
5. Some students just copy and paste.
6. Instructor must be always cautious and patient to control the group.

THANK YOU

 Source : Using WhatsApp to Enhance Students’ Learning of English Language “Experience

to Share” by Mona M. Hamad Department of English, College of Science & Arts for Girls,
Muhayil, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia

 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1161157.pdf